Bathyal Dunkleosteus
Bathyal dunkleosteus are reclusive creatures that live in the depths of the open ocean, steering clear from most landforms and feeding on whatever creatures they come across in their travels. They are rare, but widespread, circumnavigating the globe many times throughout their lives, and never settling on one place for long. They may go years between visits to the surface waters, so sightings are exceedingly uncommon, leading to the myth among sailors that there is only one bathyal dunkleosteus in the whole world, and that she has been swimming in the ocean since fish first appeared. Water magi will occasionally go on expeditions to find bathyal dunkleosteus in the open ocean, swimming down to their depths with the help of magic and koi fish, but they are more often found as eggs that infrequently wash ashore. Bathyal dunkleosteus grow larger than their euphotic cousins, though they still seem to enjoy swimming around in Lake Lakira. Egg This cold, blue egg appears to be made out of hard, bony plates. Hatchling Unlike many hatchlings, dunkleosteus hatch out of their eggs fully formed and able to take care of themselves. They receive no care from their parents and must avoid any dunkleosteus large enough to see them as a meal. Already the youngsters sport their own heavy plates that allow them to crush the hard shells of mollusks and pierce through nearly anything that can fit in their mouths. They do not seem to care much about land creatures and only really pay attention to large flying creatures if they are near the surface; the dunkleosteus are already heavy enough that most common birds cannot lift them. The hatchlings may occasionally watch their magi from within Lake Lakira with their wide, lidless eyes, but otherwise they are not especially responsive. Even the most foolhardy young magi know not to dip their toes into water where dunkleosteus dwell, otherwise they may not have toes for much longer. Adult At over ten meters long and armed with shearing plates instead of teeth, an adult dunkleosteus is a near-unstoppable force in the waters where it resides. Though not particularly fast swimmers, dunkleosteus can open and extend their jaws to snap up prey before an onlooker can blink. These massive fish have forgone sharpened teeth for a bladelike bony projection that extends off the lower jaw and parts of the cranium and allows the fish to easily pierce through the toughest hides. They use this to their advantage, preying upon nearly any large creature they can catch, whether turtles, sharks, whales, or even other armored fish. Some dunkleosteus have been known to cannibalize younger fish, and so they must be kept separate from the adults until they are large enough to withstand infrequent attacks. Dunkleosteus are typically ambush predators, and will only attack when they are well in range of their targets. Breeding :Not available. Additional Information *No. 754 *Obtained from the Water Shop for 7,700 *Released: March 5th, 2017 *Sprite art: Tekla *Description: PKGriffin Category:2017 Creatures Category:Shop-born Category:Artist: Tekla Category:Fish Category:Dunkleosteus